Brian J. Townsend (Auth.), Peter Riley (Eds.) - Computer-Aided Draughting Workbook-Macmillan Education UK (1993)

Computer-aided
Draughting
Workbook
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Computer-aided
Draughting
Workbook
Brian J. Townsend
Project Manager
Havering College of Further and Higher Education
Hornchurch
Consultant Editor: Peter Riley

Head of Department of Engineering Technology
Blackpool and The Fylde College
M
MACMILLAN
~
C+3
City and Guilds
© Brian J. Townsend and City and Guilds of London Institute 1993
All rights reserved. No reproduction, copy or transmission

of this pUblication may be made without written permission.
No paragraph of this publication may be reproduced, copied

or transmitted save with written permission or in accordance
with the provisions of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988,
or under the terms of any licence permitting limited copying
issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency, 90 Tottenham Court Road,
London W1P 9HE.
Any person who does any unauthorised act in relation to this

publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims
for damages.
First published 1993 by

THE MACMILLAN PRESS LTD
Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG21 2XS
and London
Companies and representatives
throughout the world
ISBN 978-0-333-56504-9 ISBN 978-1-349-12681-1 (eBook)

DOl 10.1007/978-1-349-12681-1
A catalogue record for this book is

available from the British Library.
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
01 00 99 98 97 96 95 94 93
Acknowledgements
Thanks are due to Briamar Design Services for permission to use Figure 1.2.
Both my parents died during the writing of this book -
it is dedicated to their memory
Contents
Introduction 1
How to use this book 2
Learning AssignDlent 1 Operating procedures 3

CAD system arrangements 3
Task 1.1 Operating procedure 4
Learning AssignDlent 2 Draughting parameters 5

Task 2.1 Draughting parameters 5
Learning AssignDlent 3 Software configuration 7

Task 3.1 Software configuration 7
Learning AssignDlent 4 Creating standard drawing sheets 8

Task 4.1 Starting a design 8
Task 4.2 Editing a design 9
Task 4.3 Adding text to a design 10
Task 4.4 Creating standard drawing sheets 10
Learning AssignDlent 5 Using arcs, circles and lines 12

Task 5.1 Creating arcs and circles 13
Task 5.2 Using arcs, circles and lines 13
Learning AssignDlent 6 Using CAD drawing aids 14

Task 6.1 Basic drawing aids 14
Co-ordinate types 15
Task 6.2 Using CAD system drawing aids 17
Learning AssignDlent 7 More CAD drawing aids 19

Zooming 19
Task 7.1 Use of ZOOM features 19
Layers 21
Task 7.2 Use oflayers and colours 21
Task 7.3 U sing layers, colours and linetypes 23
Learning AssignDlent 8 Fillets and chaDlfers 25

Filleting 25
Task 8.1 Filleting 25
Chamfering 25
Task 8.2 Chamfering 25
Task 8.3 Using fillets and chamfers 27
Learning AssignDlent 9 Array and other editing features 29

Task 9.1 Object capture 29
Partial erase 30
Task 9.2 Partial erase 30
Hatching 30
Copying and moving 31
Task 9.3 Copying 31
Task 9.4 Moving 32
Task 9.5 U sing ARRAY and other editing feat ures 34
Learning Assignment 10 Blocks 37

Task 10.1 Block insertion 38
The stretch feature 38
Task 10.2 Stretching 39
Dimensioning 39
Task 10.3 Dimensioning 39
Task 10.4 Using dimensioning features 39
Learning Assignment 11 User facilities 40

Task 11.1 User facilities 41
Exchanging drawing files 42
Task 11.2 DXF files 42
Learning Assignment 12 File management 45

Task 12.1 File management 45
Learning Assignment 13 Basic peripheral devices 46

Digitisers 46
Plotters 46
Task 13.1 Plotting parameters 47
Comparing costs 47
Task 13.2 Plotting designs 47
Learning Assignment 14 System performance and

evaluation 48
Task 14.1 System capacity 48
Task 14.2 System performance and evaluation 49
Glossary 51
Index 53
viii
Introd uction
The availability of sophisticated, low-cost computer-aided draughting, or

CAD, systems means that they are being used by an increasing number of
organisations. The savings in labour costs and the increases in productivity
that result from the efficient use of CAD are one side of the coin. The other
side includes the broadening of career prospects in the field of design,
particularly for those coming from a traditional draughting background.
This workbook aims to give practical knowledge about how CAD can be
used for draughting and design. It follows closely the requirements of the
City and Guilds Computer-aided Engineering 230 series. It will also be
appropriate for those studying other equivalent courses, such as those
offered by the Business and Technology Education Council (BTEC).
Traditional draughting tasks become simpler and faster when full
advantage is taken of CAD. These aims will be more rapidly achieved if the
CAD trainee puts the theory into practice. The learning assignments in this
workbook provide just this practice. This 'hands-on' approach means that
the trainee must have access to a commercial CAD system. If this is not
possible at the trainee's place of work, a local college may be able to offer
open-access CAD facilities.
A CAD system may be developed for use in a particular area of design.
Different systems are likely to have different operating commands, system
input and output methods, and so on. Any such differences are usually in
name only and can easily be translated between systems.
Other aspects of CAD, such as the control of manufacturing processes by
computer and the advantages of using CAD in a manufacturing context, are
dealt with in other books in the City and Guilds/Macmillan publishing for
computer-aided engineering. Details are given below.
Because of rapid technological advances this is an exciting time to be
involved in CAD. This workbook has been written for those concerned with
sharing and exploiting the benefits that may be derived from these advances.
City and Guilds/Macmillan publishing for

computer-aided engineering
This workbook is one of a series of City and Guilds/Macmillan books which

together give complete and up-to-date coverage of computer-aided
engineering. A core text, or source book (Computer-aided Engineering), gives
basic information on all the main topic areas (basic CNC; CNC setting and
operation; CNC part programming; CNC advanced part programming;
basic CAD/CAM; computer-aided draughting; advanced CAD; basic
robotics; robot technology; programmable logic controllers; more advanced
programmable logic controllers). It has tasks structured in to the text to
encourage active learning.
Workbooks cover five main topics: CNC setting and operation; CNC part
programming; computer-aided draughting; robot technology;
programmable logic controllers. Each workbook includes all the operational
information and guidance needed to be able to complete the practical
assignments and tasks.
The books complement each other but can be used independently of each
other. Peter Riley (Head of Department of Engineering Technology,
Blackpool and The Fylde College) is Consultant Editor of the series.
B.J. Townsend, Computer-aided Draughting Workbook

© Brian J. Townsend and City and Guilds of London Institute 1993 1
How to use this book
Each learning assignment in this workbook has a similar structure, to make
its use as straightforward as possible. Information and guidance that is
needed to be able to complete the practical work is included with each
assignment.
You will be able to identify the following parts of the text:
• Background information introducing the topic at the beginning of each
assignment
• Other relevant knowledge given under the heading 'Additional
information' .
• In the sections 'Useful observations' you will find points which will help
you in becoming familiar with the process and in exploring ways in which
it can be used.
• The practical 'Tasks' are presented in a logical sequence so that they can
be accomplished safely and successfully. In many cases 'Additional tasks'
are included to reinforce and enhance the basic practical work.
• If there is information of particular interest concerning the practical tasks,
you will find this under the heading 'A point to note' or 'Points to note'.
All the diagrams and illustrations which are needed for each assignment are
given at the appropriate point in the text.
You are recommended to obtain a folder in which to keep work which you
have completed. This will serve as a record of your achievements and may be
useful for future reference.

2
Learning Assignment 1
Operating procedures
A CAD system, because it is mains-powered, is potentially dangerous. You, Mains supply sockets not damaged .
as the user, are responsible for reporting any obvious signs of danger to Mains supply plugs not damaged.
yourself or to others. Figure 1.1 shows a basic checklist for any CAD system. Mains supply cables not damaged.
Any equipment that fails the checklist must be corrected by a competent Unit casings in position and secure.
person before the system is used. No obvious damage to any system
unit.
Interconnecting cables not damaged .
CAD system. arrangem.ents Interconnecting cables connected
securely.
No trailing cables that could be tripped
A 'stand-alone' CAD system consists of a single computer system with over.
appropriate input and output devices. Several CAD systems may be
connected to a network so that software, drawing files and expensive output ... Figure 1.1 A basic system checklist
equipment can be shared. There are some operating differences with a
networked system and access may involve the use of passwords.
Every CAD system will have the same basic units but there are differences
in the type of input or output devices. A typical stand-alone system will use a
personal computer (PC) with a colour display for visual output and a
standard keyboard for input. For easier input of drawing instructions, a
pointing device such as a mouse or a digitising tablet may be used. A plotter
is often used for the production of a paper-based output.
.... Figure 1.2 A typical stand-alone CAD

system
USEFUL OBSERVATION
Figure 1.2 shows that the equipment

has a fairly compact layout, so that you
can avoid unnecessary stretching.
Additional inform.ation Although personal preferences are
important, you can avoid aches and
After you have gained access to the system, a 'menu' is usually presented on pains if the system parts are arranged in
the display screen. The choice you are given depends on whether or not the a way that allows you to maintain a
computer system is used for activities other than CAD. A wordprocessor correct posture. A right-handed layout
feature may be offered to allow the input of large amounts of text to a CAD is shown, but this can be changed for
left-handed users as neither the
design. Menus may be supplied either with the computer or with the CAD keyboard or the digitiser device is
program. They may be bought or, like that shown in Figure 1.3, designed 'handed'.
within the organisation.
3
******************************
*BRIAMAR DESIGNS*
* ----0---- *
* COM PUT E R - A IDE D *
* D R AUG H TIN G AND *
* DES I G N OFF ICE *
******************************
M A I N MEN U
l. Park the Hard Disc

2. Enter the CAD system
3. Enter the Wordprocessor
4. Enter the Database
5. Enter the Root Directory
6. Make a Backup Disc
Please enter the menu number and press ENTER
In the event of a system problem, please

inform the System Manager.
~ Figure 1.3 A typical user-designed menu
On completing the design activity, you need to close the CAD system
down in a way that ensures the design is not lost. This may require the design
A POINT TO NOTE to be 'saved' on external magnetic storage such as floppy disc or tape. A
logging-off activity is usually required on CAD systems that have a password
The type of menu shown in Figure
1.3 does not provide password
requirement.
protection.
On leaving the CAD system, you Task 1.1 Operating procedure
will be returned to the Main Menu.
If no more computer use is required,
parking the hard disc may be the • Carry out the inspection of a CAD system using the checklist given in
next choice. Some computer Figure 1.1. (Note: It is neither desirable nor necessary for a system to be
systems have automatic hard disc deliberately made unsafe or faulty in any way before this assignment
parking when the mains supply is is carried out.)
removed. • Execute the correct start-up procedure for your CAD system
This workbook cannot cover all the including, if necessary, the use of passwords for system access.
types of starting-up and closing- • Load and re-save an existing drawing. (No drawing activity is
down procedures that exist for CAD required for this task.)
systems. You should receive
• Execute the correct closing-down procedure for a CAD system,
instructions from the 'system
manager' when there is any doubt.
including the switching-off of all system units such as the computer
and the printer.
4
Draughting parameters
In the creation of a drawing using pre-CAD methods, the draughtsperson
will first decide on the size of paper to use. The appearance of the final
drawing will then be a combination of the individual's draughting skills and
the drawing standards in force within the organisation.
In a CAD system, the skills of the user include setting up the system,
monitoring its performance and then making any required corrections to the
initial settings. The aim is to make the CAD system operate in the most
efficient way for the work in hand.
Whether or not an organisation uses CAD, it will usually have a basic
policy that specifies certain standard features to be used on all drawings.
These features may include line and text styles, borders, title blocks and so
on. In a CAD system, these features are specified in a 'standard' or
'prototype' drawing. It may also include specifications for details such as
arrowhead sizes, different colours for different line styles, layers for
construction lines, hatched sections, dimensions, text, and so on.
Additional information
The standard drawing may include 'drawing aids' such as the capture of
points on a grid, line ends, midpoints, automatic orthogonal line drawing
and ruled axes. Different measuring systems are available to satisfy the
varied uses of CAD systems: for example, an engineering organisation may
specify dimensions in millimetres but an architectural designer is likely to use
feet and inches. Different angular measurement systems and precision
specifications are also usually provided.
A typical standard drawing for a CAD system would have the following USEFUL OBSERVATION
minimum specification:
grid spacing - equal or unequal in x and y There is no 'best way' to produce a
drawing units and accuracy drawing. As you learn about your CAD
system, you will develop a procedure
point capture increments that suits you best. Most CAD systems
drawing limits allow a wide variety of procedures to be
layers used to achieve a given output.
'paper' or non-paper screen (background colour).
Task 2.1 Draughting parameters

Note No drawing activity is required for Task 2.1. It should be
recognised that the identification of existing parameters on a standard
drawing may only be achieved when the drawing is being created.
Therefore, such data will be obtained in a later task.
• Establish the parameters of a standard blank drawing sheet, using the

appropriate reference manuals and organisation documents, and fill
in the Standard Drawing Sheet Checklist (Figure 2.1) as fully as
possible .
• Make a brief subjective assessment of the reason(s) for the choice of
parameters and complete the last part of the checklist.

5
~ 2.1
STANDARD DRAWING SHEET CHECKLIST
Feature Yes Feature Yes
Object and point capture Grid points
Ruler axes Drawing limits
Elevation setting Thickness setting
Entity colour Co-ordinates display
Alternative units for Standard drawing sheet
dimensions with company details
Orthogonal drawing Screen background colour
Text size Draw dynamically - drag
Text styling Multiple layers
Tablet/mouse selection Line type selection
Screen menu/s Pulldown/popup menus
Time/date stamping Dimension tolerance
Subjective assessment of reasonls for choice of features
A POINT TO NOTE
The list in Figure 2.1 is not meant
to be exhaustive. Your CAD system
may include features that have been
omitted to avoid confusion at this
introductory stage.
6
Software configuration
This Assignment deals with the input of user information to the CAD
system so that it operates correctly during the design activity. For example,
all the digitiser devices known as 'mice' or 'pucks' produce the same effect
on the screen. There are marked differences between the devices, though:
they may have two, three or four buttons and either a 'serial' or a 'bus'
connection to the computer. Therefore, the CAD system software has to be
set up so that it matches the digitiser device correctly.
The monitor(s) used on a CAD system will have been selected to satisfy a
perceived requirement at an acceptable cost. If the maximum drawing area
for a given screen size is required, the commands and/or menus will need to
be displayed on a separate, low-resolution monitor. A large number of CAD
systems use a monitor that displays the drawing, one screen menu and the
last two or three commands simultaneously. The type of design work usually
determines whether a high- or medium-resolution monitor is used.
From the above, you will have realised that all the input/output parts of a
CAD system have features that need to be 'known' by, or aligned to, the
CAD system software before the system can be used. This procedure is
usually known as 'configuring'. The reference manual or installation guide
for your CAD system will contain details of this procedure.
A POINT TO NOTE
Changing the configuration of a
Additional information CAD system may introduce quite
unexpected results, and you should
Some CAD systems may be commanded to display the current not do this unless you clearly
configuration for the user to change or confirm it as required. Others may understand the likely outcome. On
erase the current configuration and require all the data to be input again. In some CAD systems, the combined
the latter case, a written record of the data must be kept to avoid the need to result of several changes may be
find someone in the organisation who remembers the previous configuration difficult to interpret and correction
data. is then difficult.
Task 3.1 Software configuration

In this task, you are asked to change the input device on your CAl
system. It is suggested that a suitable device for these tasks would be a
mouse that differs from the type that is normally used on the system.
• Connect the replacement device to the CAD system. USEFUL OBSERV AnON
• Enter the CAD system and select the configuration option.
Other configuration aspects include
• Establish and record the configuration parameters for the original telling the CAD system what action to
device. take should incorrect data be input. An
• Use the device driver options presented by the system software to error message may be displayed, or an
select that which suits the new device. audible warning sounded. Sound
• Record the device parameters and leave the configuration facility. warnings may distract nearby staff and
may embarrass the perpetrator, and so
• Test the newly configured CAD system with the new device. (This should be selected with care.
may mean that the system has to be restarted in order to initialise the
software again.)

7
Creating standard drawing sheets
The basic drawing commands on any CAD system must include the
creation of single lines, the creation of multi-lined figures or polygons, the
creation of arcs and circles, the combining of all these features and the
creation of text. The editing of the resulting features is also a requirement.
Fortunately, most CAD systems use the same names for these features.
Thus, to draw a line, the command called LINE will be used; for an arc, the
ARC command will be used. Text is usually produced by using the TEXT
command, and all these commands will be entered at the keyboard or
selected from a command menu using a mouse or puck.
After using a MULTI-LINE or POLY-LINE command, subsequent editing
features such as erasing, moving or copying will refer to the whole figure, not
just to one line or element in that figure. This is one example of many CAD
time-saving features.
Text is usually treated in the same way as a multi-line so that editing
operations apply to the whole text entry. The 'Enter' or 'Return' key is used
to signify the end of a line of text. It will also tell the CAD system that the use
of that command has ended and so, in many CAD systems, each line of text
is a separate entity.
S2 Task 4.1 Starting a design

V}
~ To obtain practice in using these simple commands, you are asked to

try to create the design shown in Figure 4.1 - the actual shape and size
of the final design is not important. Note that the crosses are
construction aids that do not normally appear on the printed output -
they can be turned on or off during the designing session.
The design is based on an A4 standard drawing sheet with a grid and
point capture separation of 20 mm squares - these are indicated by
crosses. If you cannot match this value, get as close as possible. Leave all
the other features of the standard drawing, such as line style and layer,
unchanged at this stage. Produce two versions of the design: one using
the LINE command and the other using the MULTI-LINE command.
Save both versions, using different names, for future tasks.
+ + + + + + + + + + + +
+ +
+ + + + + +
+ + +
+ + + + + + +
+ + + + + + +
+ + + + +
~ Figure 4.1 A simple drawing task

+ + + + + + + + + + + +
8
The actual creation and saving of the designs will use commands that
apply to the CAD system you are using. You may need 'local' help
before you can draw the design. At this stage, all you have to do is move
the pointing device to the desired grid point, lock on to it and then press
the Enter key or digitiser button; co-ordinate values are not required.
Task 4.2 Editing a design USEFUL OBSERVATION

In this task, you will learn about the different effects of the general A tolerance on the symbol position may
ERASE command. be allowed by the system, which will
respond to your choice in a particular
• Retrieve the design created with the LINE command from Figure 4.1 way. A message in the command area, a
and select the ERASE command - this may have a different name on flashing symbol on the entity or making
the system you are using. the entity dotted are typical responses.
If your selection is inaccurate, an
• A line is identified by moving a small cursor symbol, such as a square
indication should be given.
or circle, over the line and pressing the digitiser button called the
'pick' button. Try out this feature. (Turn off the point capture mode
first so that the cursor symbol does not lock on to the wrong entity.)
• Confirm the entity removal by pressing the Enter key or digitiser
button. Try this now by erasing the indicated line on Figure 4.2. If
you are successful, continue to remove the entities, one by one.
• Some CAD systems allow you to 'unerase', or restore, an entity that
has been removed in error. Try this feature also.
• If you meet a problem in erasing, find out the reason before going on.
The ability to edit a design with the ERASE facility is crucial to your
efficient use of a CAD system.
• When you are confident about the selection and erasure of an entity, POINTS TO NOTE
find and use any other single entity ERASE features that the CAD You do not have to save your edited
system offers. design. But if you do save it, use a
different name from the original
because the design with that name is
ADDITIONAL TASK to be used again.
Now retrieve your MULTI-LINE design and try to erase the line As you will be saving several
indicated on Figure 4.2. If your CAD system follows the normal rule, drawings as you work through the
the whole design is selected - you may want this sometimes. If the various tasks in this workbook, you
should make a record of the names
design was created using a MULTI-LINE command and you then want used, together with a brief
to erase part of that design, a conversion into separate entities may be description of each drawing, its task
allowed. Again, you are not required to save this edited design but if you number and its creation date.
do, use a new name.
+ + + + + + + + + + + +
Line to be ero.sed
+ +
+ +
+ +
+ + + + + +
+ + + + + + +
+ + + + +
+ + + + + + + + + + + +
.... Figure 4.2 Erasing a line
9
Task 4.3 Adding text to a design
CAD systems allow users to input text in various sizes, styles, fonts,
positions and orientations. An organisation normally specifies these
parameters but a customer may want different text formats. This task
gives practice in creating different text.
Text is obtained using the command TEXT or similar. The response
is a series of prompts. These require user input about the text position,
its size and its angle. Parameters relating to style, font and so forth are
input as a separate exercise if the standard settings have to be changed.
This procedure has many variations, so you must find out what method
is used on your system and then use its values.
• Several text sizes, positions and angles are shown on Figure 4.3; try to
modify your multi-line design to match the figure. An identical result
is not required but do remember to save it using an appropriate
name.
• If the facility for changing text style is available on your system,
experiment with different styles, sizes and line thicknesses.
+ + + + + + + + + + + +
+xe;q.. UIV\Op ep!sd n
+ + + +
+ + + + + +
+ + + + +
+ + + + + + .....x +
a;i
+ ,..
x
+ + + + + ~ +
CD
::l
+ a. + + + +
Centred text Fitted text
+ + + + + + + + + + + +
~ Figure 4.3 Adding text to a design
When you feel able to cope with text entry, read through the objectives and
practical requirements of Task 4.4. The task combines text entry with the
skills you have already learned. This is the first workbook design - perhaps
your first CAD design - so it is worth giving it time and care.
:Q Task 4.4 Creating standard drawing sheets

V)
E:s • Create an A4 size standard drawing sheet based on that given on the
drawing on page 11. The essential features of the drawing sheet
should, where possible, be as follows:
a 10 mm border
a title block size of no more than 160 mrn X 40 mm
white, continuous lines on 'black' background
automatic orthogonal axes
a point capture spacing of 10 mm
a grid spacing of 10 mrn X 10 mm
exist on the default layer.
• Save the drawing sheet design for future use - the name for the
design will be constrained by the particular CAD system in use, but it
should contain a meaningful reference to an A4 sheet.
• Now create an A3 size prototype drawing sheet that has the same
features as the A4 sheet you have just produced.
• Save this drawing sheet design for future use. Remember to use a
name that refers to an A3 sheet.
10
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... Figure 4.4 Drawing for Task 4.4
11
Using arcs, circles and lines
Many designs use curved lines, and CAD systems support this requirement
in varying ways. If you are a new CAD user, you may become confused
because a particular CAD system will draw all arcs in one angular direction,
either clockwise or anti-clockwise. The arc will then be concave or convex
depending on the starting point and until you become used to your system,
you may find that you have to redraw arcs.
When drawing an arc by hand, you use the position of the centre and the
length of the radius. As you will find with circles, however, CAD systems
provide several methods. Figure 5.1 shows a selection of these.
~ Figure 5.1 Creating arcs
A,r) B
\J
2 3
Sto.rt, Centre, End

C
3£::\1
Sto.rt, Centre, End
Three Point
~ ~ ~1
E
03
Sto.rt, Centre, Angle Sto.rt, Centre, Length Sto.rt, End, Ro.dlus
G2n, H
~
03
I
2U'
Sto.rt, End, Direction
Sto.rt, End, Angle Sto.rt, End, Direction 0 3
USEFUL OBSERVATION
Find out which of these arc commands, Circles are usually defined by specifying the centre and the radius or
and any others, are on your system. diameter. On a CAD system, there may be at least two additional methods.
Practise their use before reading further.
Examples are shown in Figure 5.2.
Note that each command produces the
same result but the different commands
are used in different situations.
00
Centre, RQcllUS (251'11'1) Two Point
Two TQngents, RQcllus (151'11'1)

1
Centre, DIQl'leter (501'11'1) Three Point
~ Figure 5.2 Creating circles
12
Task 5.1 Creating arcs and circles
Try to create arcs and circles by using all the methods illustrated in
Figures 5.1 and 5.2. If there are other arc- and circle-creation methods
on your system, use them as well.
Additional infonnation
CONTINUE is a feature that is usually provided for both the ARC and the
LINE commands. It allows a line or arc to be continued from the end of the
previous line or arc. A mixture of these entities can then be drawn.
The following task requires you to use the arc and circle features of your
system and combine them with the line drawing options that you have
already used. The robot arm design to be copied for the task (Figure 5.3)
was drawn using only these features.
Task 5.2 Using arcs, circles and lines

• Enter the CAD system and load the A4 standard drawing sheet
created in Task 4.4.
• Dis-enable the point capture, orthogonal and grid options.
• Copy the robot arm design shown in Figure 5.3 by using arcs, circles,
lines and, if available, the CONTINUE feature. (Note: There are
several places where part of an arc or line ought to be erased, but you
may leave this until the necessary technique has been introduced.
Figure 9.2 shows what can be achieved at this later stage.)
• When you have finished the design, use the TEXT command to
complete the details in the title block.
• Save the design, giving it an appropriate name.
.... Figure 5.3 Using arcs, circles and lines
13
Using CAD drawing aids
Drawing aids have been referred to already, including point location and
capture, ruled and orthogonal axes and a feature known as 'dragging'. If you
specify a circle's centre and then move the pointing device, you can 'drag'
the outside of the circle, centred on the specified point, to the required size.
(The circle will be drawn as normal if you input the radius or diameter
value.) If the pick button is pressed when the circle size looks correct, the
dragged circle will be drawn at that size.
Moving the pointing device after defining a point for a line or multi-line
will produce a similar feature called 'rubber-banding' - the movement of the
pointing device will stretch a straight line from that point. When the position
and length of the line look right, use the pick button to draw that line.
Rubber-banding and point capture on the grid points allow drawings to be
made quickly; these features were used to draw the design of Figure 4.1. A
design may be drawn 'freehand' or, by using point co-ordinate or capture
values, as accurately as desired.
Task 6.1 Basic drawing aids

• Figure 6.1 was drawn using these aids. Create this design, which is
based on a point capture and grid value of 5 mm, using an A4 size
drawing sheet. Arcs, circles and lines should be dragged to the
appropriate position before being picked.
• Save this drawing for future use. Remember to use and record a
suitable name.
~ Figure 6.1 Drawing aid exercise
In Task 6.1, the point capture and grid values were equal at 5 mm, but on
some CAD systems unequal values of x and yare allowed. Rotation of the
grid about a defined point is also possible.
Figure 6.2 shows these features in use. Before rotation of the screen, the
grid and point capture values are set at 20 mm horizontal and 30 mm vertical.
The screen rotation is 30° (anti-clockwise by convention) and orthogonal
(right-angled) axes are selected. As a result, squares/rectangles and pointer
crosshairs are all inclined at 30° to the horizontal and all lines will be drawn at
either 30° or 120° (90° plus 30°).
14
+ +
T
+ -;.. +
+ + +
+ + +
+
+
+
+
+ +
+ +
+ +
+ + +
+ + +
+ +
+ POin-tihg Cr 0 5 5 Iq.o. irs
+
+ +
+ +
+ +
+ +
+
+ +
+ + +
+ <l1li Figure 6.2 Additional drawing aids
Find out if any of these features are on your system. If so, practise using
them by copying the two shapes shown in Figure 6.3. Here the rotation angle
is 45° but the other drawing aids, excepting orthogonal axes, are the same as
in Figure 6.2.
In Figure 6.3, the shape on the left was drawn without using orthogonal
axes and so it was possible to draw lines 1,2 and 3. The shape on the right
was drawn when using orthogonal axes and so lines 1, 2 and 3 cannot be
drawn. Because all lines have to be mutually at 90°, line 1 can only be replaced
by one of the two dashed lines; the position is similar for lines 2 and 3.
/',
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f
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<l1li Figure 6.3 Using Rotate and Orthogonal

features
Co-ordinate types
The default origin of the co-ordinate system used to define position is
usually the bottom left-hand corner of the design screen. By graphical
convention, the first of the two values to be stated is the horizontal or 'x'
value - it is the left-to-right distance across the screen. The second value is
the vertical or 'y' value, and gives the bottom-to-top distance.
Thus the origin is at position 0,0 and, for an A4-scaled design screen, the
top right-hand corner will have the co-ordinate value of 297,210 mm.
15
It is usual for the pointer's current co-ordinate value to be displayed in a
status line; this line may also indicate whether features such as point capture,
point location or orthogonal axes have been selected. When the pointing
device is moved, the indicated value of the co-ordinates will change. If the
measurement accuracy is suitable, the displayed co-ordinates can be used to
select the desired points for the design.
You can usually place the origin of a co-ordinate system at any position
you choose. If the origin is defined at the centre of the design screen, moving
the pointer to the left or downwards from the screen centre gives negative
co-ordinate values.
The redefining of co-ordinate system origins has more value in three-
dimensional CAD, but that subject is outside the scope of this workbook.
You must understand negative co-ordinates fully before you can use relative
co-ordinates correctly.
A CAD system interprets a relative co-ordinate as being relative to the
last specified point. It will recognise that a character such as '@' or 'R' in
front of the x and y values will identify a relative co-ordinate. Negative x
and/or y values mean that the line will be drawn to the left and/or downwards
respectively from the last point.
Any x,y value without a non-numeric character in front, or elsewhere, will
be identified by the CAD system as an absolute co-ordinate. The values of
x and yare measured from the origin of the co-ordinate system in use.
A POINT TO NOTE
Negative values will usually produce an error message from the CAD system.
You may prefer to use only one of
the three methods, but ignorance of
Two numbers separated by '<' are identified as polar co-ordinates, and
the other two may cause difficulty there may also be a leading character. The first number is the line length and
when you are creating some designs. the second is the angle of that line from the zero angle direction, usually the 3
Familiarity with all three is essential. o'clock position. Angles are generally measured in degrees but other units
may be used.
VJ ADDITIONAL TASKS
~
VJ
~ You may already know how your CAD system implements co-ordinate
entry using the three methods introduced above. If not, create the
design shown in Figure 6.4 using each of the three methods.
Figure 6.4 shows a design that can be created using any of the co-
ordinate systems detailed above. As an exercise, attempt to create the
design using each of the three systems. Remember that with relative and
polar co-ordinates, the design can be created either clockwise or anti-
clockwise.
c All oIlMenslons In MM.
120.00
~ Figure 6.4 Use of point co-ordinates

~ ~ --------------w
16
You should not have any problems when creating these designs. If you do,
however, you will find the information for positioning the three points,
starting at co-ordinate 50,50 (point A) in each case, listed in the table below.
Only anti-clockwise data is given, but you should not have difficulty in
calculating the clockwise data.
CO-ORDINATE VALUES FOR FIGURE 6.4
Co-ordinate Point A PointB Point C

system
Absolute 50.00,50.00 210.00,50.00 50.00,170.00

50.00,50.00
Relative 50.00,50.00 R160.00,0 R -160.00,120
RO,-120.00
Polar 50.00,50.00 R160.00<0 R200.00<143.13
R120 .00<270.00
VJ ADDITIONAL TASK
~
VJ
Load your standard A4 drawing sheet. Now, using one of the co- POINTS TO NOTE
~ ordinate value sets given for Figure 6.4, create that design. Notice that a If you are using a two-decimal place
two-decimal place precision has been used for length and angular precision, remember that you must
not correct an angular value to one
measurements. decimal place. For example, all
angles between 36.85° and 36.94°
Reference has been made to the use of rulers in the creation of designs. inclusive are taken to equal 36.9°
Variation in editing screen design may put a vertical ruler at either side of the when corrected to one decimal place.
screen and a horizontal ruler at the top or bottom. If a ruler feature is If an angle of36.9° is input, the CAD
available on the CAD system, it should appear on both axes. system will interpret this as 36.90°
The ruler markings may match the point capture settings, or may be a and any later CAD system calcul-
multiple or sub-multiple of them. Extra-long markers can be used to indicate ations involving angles might then
whole inches or centimetres, just like the rulers that are used in offices and contain errors.
workshops. It has been mentioned that CAD
If the ruler markings match the grid points, you do not need to count the systems usually put 0° at the 3 o'clock
number of grid points when 'roughing out' a design. The ruler feature may position. Positive angular increase is
be switched off without losing the previous setting. by anti-clockwise rotation to give 90°
at 12 o'clock, 2700 (or -90j at 6
o'clock, and so on.
Task 6.2 Using CAD system drawing aids
Before you begin any design task,
• think about what is to be drawn (for this task, look at Figure 6.5)
• decide what size of drawing sheet to use
• set up, to suit the design, the following:
drawing units and precision -length and angle
drawing limits for the sheet
line width, type, colour
point capture, grid, ruler values
layers
text size and style.
• Now you are ready to begin this task. Enter the CAD system and load
a standard drawing sheet.
• Enable, and set correctly, those features of the CAD system that you
consider necessary for the creation of the design shown in Figure 6.5 .
(Remember the possible minimum value of the upper limit co-
ordinates.)
• Create the design shown in Figure 6.5. You may need to change the
precision of the length and angle units.
• Save the design under an appropriate name. Take care to preserve
the standard drawing sheet for future use.
17
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18
More CAD drawing aids
Zooming
When completing Task 6.2, you probably realised that it is difficult to work
with distances of a few drawing units when the drawing limits are a thousand
times larger. Most CAD systems overcome the problem by magnifying parts
of the screen display - this is called the 'zooming' feature.
Different zoom facilities are offered by the various CAD systems. They
include variable or fixed zoom factors, selection of a portion of the screen by
using a 'window' and zooming the design to fill the screen. Now see an
example of what ZOOM can do. USEFUL OBSERV A nON
Figures 7.1 a to 7.1 e show a series of zooms on a design to indicate how
very fine detail can exist even though the complete design cannot show that The successive drawings in Figure 7.1
detail. give only a small example of the
tremendous zooming power of a typical
The blur inside the small rectangle of Figure 7.1 a gets larger with CAD system - in this case, a total zoom
successive zooms until, in Figure 7.1 d, you can see that it consists of a square factor of about 2400 to 1 was used. You
containing four lines of text. can only really appreciate the value of
Figure 7.1 e shows that the single letter' A' in the second line of the text ZOOM after you have used it.
contains even finer detail.
Task 7.1 Use of ZOOM features

In this task, you will re-create the design shown on Figure 7.1 and then
add even finer detail. The dimensions are not required, and exact
positioning of rectangles, squares and text is not necessary.
• Load your A4 drawing sheet, and then draw the 125 X 90 mm
rectangle in the central area of the sheet. Now use your CAD
system's ZOOM feature to expand the rectangle so that it fills the
screen area.
• Draw the 50 X 25 rectangle in the central area of the screen and then
expand it to fill the screen. Then draw, again in the central area, the
15 X 5 rectangle.
• Repeat this process of drawing and expanding until you have A POINT TO NOTE
produced 'C&G 230' inside the letter 'A' (see Figure 7.1e. Now To write the small size text, you may
expand the '0' of '230' and draw four rectangles of decreasing size, have to increase the number of
inside it. Draw the second rectangle inside the first, the third inside decimal places that your CAD system
the second and the fourth inside the third. Finally add the text works to. It is normal for text and
curves to be shown as a series of
'TASK 7.1' inside the smallest rectangle. shon, straight lines as the zoom
• Now return to the original drawing sheet by reversing the ZOOM factor is increased.
process, using the features available on your CAD system.
The regeneration of a zoomed display can take a comparatively long time.

This time depends upon the computer system's speed as well as being a
function of the CAD software. The speed of regeneration can be increased,
however, if the CAD system has 'dynamic zoom', which allows specified
areas to be zoomed more quickly than normal.
A 'pan' feature is available on some systems (the term comes from the
cinema industry). With pan, the design can be moved around the screen.
You can look for, or place, a particular item of interest. Pan also allows you
to move a zoomed area in any direction and so display a different part of the
zoomed design.

19
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... Figure 7.1 Illustrations of ZOOM
20
Layers
Using layers for drawing has been mentioned before. You can best
appreciate their value if you think of them as transparent drawing sheets.
When the sheets are stacked, all the creation details on the various layers are
POINTS TO NOTE
displayed. Without a colour monitor, however, layers cannot be fully
exploited. Colour and layers may be of benefit
only during the design activity, as
Obviously, construction lines are not required on the final drawing so, plotted output will consist of black
once those lines have been used, the construction layer can be frozen and it lines on white paper unless a colour
becomes invisible. If the text layer is frozen it will not have to be regenerated plotter is available.
after zooming or redrawing. Freezing unwanted layers before regeneration
It is not easy to place a value on
therefore saves time, because systems will not normally accept 'change of
colours or layers. Some CAD systems
mind' commands once regeneration commences. do not provide them, and some
The CAD standards within an organisation usually specify such details as designers do not use them even if
special layer names, what the layers are used for, the linestyle to be used, the they are available.
layer's colour and so on.
S2
V)
Task 7.2 Use oflayers and colours
~ You are asked to create the design shown in Figure 7.6, which is the
outline of a floppy disc, of the size known as a '5 1/4 inch', although the
design dimensions are given in millimetres. Such a simple design would
not normally need construction lines or as many layers as we have
indicated, but they are used here to demonstrate the value of layers in
building up a series of composite designs. (Clearly, you can only carry
out this task if you have layers and colours on your system!)
First load the standard A4 drawing sheet. Then set up layers with the
parameters as shown in the table.
Layer name Layer colour Linetype
Outline White Continuous

Construction Yellow Hidden
Dimension 1 Green Continuous
Text Cyan Continuous
Centre Red Centre
Holes White Continuous
Title Cyan Continuous
Layer names, like those given, should identify the use of the layer so
that the design task is made easier. The colours may be left to personal
preference but the linetypes are usually standardised for the type of
drawing being produced.
In Figures 7.2 to 7.6 inclusive, each design was created by combining
the indicated layers.
On a system supporting layers, you should be able to create all of the
layer illustrations shown here. With a colour monitor, the advantages of
layers plus colour should be self-evident.
POINTS TO NOTE
Task 7.3 gives you a chance to
practise the use of layers, colours and
linetypes. You should always follow
the normal working practice of your
own organisation concerning layer
names, colours and linetypes, where
this exists. If there is no policy, use
the layer details given previously as a
guide.
Figures 7.8a to 7.8d show possible
layer contents.
21
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~ Figure 7.2 Construction and Dimension

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1 layers
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Dimension 2 layers
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~ Figure 7.4 Outline, Holes and ALL diMS. in MM.
Dimension 3 layers
22
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67.5 5
30 40
135
67.5
60
32
10 40
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ALL diT"'JenSions In T"'JT"'J .... Figure 7.5 Outline, Holes, Text and
three Dimension layers
A 5~ FLOPPY DISC
o .... Figure 7.6 Outline, Holes and Title

layers
Task 7.3 Using layers, colours and linetypes

• Enter the CAD system and load a standard drawing sheet.
consider necessary for the creation of the design shown in Figure 7.7.
• Create the design shown in Figure 7.7. Remember that the contents T Figure 7.7 Drawing for Task 7.3
of a layer might be used only during the creation of the design, and
need not necessarily appear on the final design.
• Using the text layer, complete the text details for the design. o
• Save the design, using an appropriate name - take care to preserve A V-STRUT
23
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Fillets and chamfers
Filleting
In Figure 7.8c, you may have wondered why the arcs at the intersection of
two straight lines (normally called fillets) were constructed using circles. The
reason is that easy fillet creation on a CAD system had still to be dealt with at
that stage. This did not prevent the fillets from being drawn, but CAD
systems can deal with fillet creation more efficiently than this.
When you are creating fillets by hand, you draw a circle or arc to just blend
with the two lines being filleted. This is the 'longhand' method that was used
in Figure 7.8c. This is not an efficient method to use on a CAD system and it
would be easier if the two lines to be filleted were identified either before or
after keying in the value of the fillet radius. This is the method which is in
common use on CAD systems, and which is probably used on your system.
S2
'J)
Task 8.1 Filleting
~ Figure 8.1 a shows a multi-line drawing with acute, obtuse and right
angles to which fillets of differing radii are to be fitted.
When filleting, the CAD system will ask for the fillet radius, and also
for an identification of the two lines to be filleted. The order of these
requests will depend on the CAD system used, and in this workbook we
cannot be too specific.
Create the profile shown in Figure 8.1 a for the following fillet
command exercise.
Figure 8.1 b shows all the two-line junctions that require filleting using
a 5 mm radius.
Some CAD systems automatically check the validity of a fillet
request; invalid requests will be rejected. Figure 8.1c shows what
happens if the fillet radius is 10 mm. Carry out this procedure and test
the result for yourself.
In the right-hand part of the design, the right angle should be rejected
but the obtuse angle will fillet correctly. Note that this does not depend,
as might be thought, on the order of filleting. Other CAD systems,
yours included, may treat this request differently.
As you might expect, a radius of more than 10 mm will be rejected for
that right angle and the adjacent obtuse angle. Figure 8.1d shows the
results of such an attempt.
Chamfering
An obvious follow-on to filleting is the chamfering of line pairs; CAD
systems usually offer varying degrees of sophistication to this feature.
It is desirable to be able to chamfer at angles other than 45°, and this is
achieved by requesting an input of picked points or a pair of numeric values.
S2 Task 8.2 Chamfering

'J)
~ Apply the chamfer command to the design of Figure 8.1a as shown in

Figure 8.2. (Note that unequal dimension chamfers are used.)

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26
5x20
All c:U",enslons In "''''
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.... Figure 8.2 Various chamfer values for

Task 8.2
Task 8.3 Using fillets and chamfers

consider necessary for the creation of the design shown in Figure 8.3.
• Create the design shown in Figure 8.3. Remember that the contents
of the construction layer should be used only for the creation of the
design, and should not appear on the final design.
• Using the text layer, complete the text details for the design and the
title block.
• Save the design, using an appropriate name - take care to preserve
27
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80
100
ADJUSTMENT PLATE
Array and other editing features
Object capture
In Task 8.3, you may have met problems in removing the unwanted parts of
the three circles that make up the composite hole in the plate. From the
commands that have been dealt with so far, you probably used LINE,
ZOOM, ERASE and, perhaps, OBJECT CAPTURE or SNAP to produce
the final design.
Object capture is a feature that has been referred to previously in this
workbook without a detailed explanation. If you did use the feature, you
obviously know how your CAD system implements it. If not, the following
information is important.
Point capture, as you have seen, concerns the locking of the crosshairs on A POINT TO NOTE
to a grid point setting. Object capture refers to the capture of an entity or As with point capture, altering the
part of a drawing. This may take place at the end or the middle of a picked CAD system variables will fix how
line, at the centre of a circle or arc, at the drawing point nearest to the close the crosshairs have to be to the
desired point. Using this feature with
crosshairs, at the intersection of two lines or arcs, and so on. Some systems
zoom allows the more effective
allow you to combine types to allow the capture of different point types capruring of object features.
without changing the selection in between.
Typical object capture types are listed below; compare them with those
available on your CAD system:
nearest (visually closest point)
endpoint (of closest line or arc)
midpoint (of line or arc)
centre (of arc or circle)
quadrant (of arc or circle - 0, 90, 180 or 270°)
intersection (of two lines, line and arc or circle, two circles and/or arcs)
perpendicular (normal between object and the last point)
tangent (tangent to object and the last point).
This list may differ from the one on your CAD system. Time and use will
show you whether the differences are important.
~ Task 9.1 Object capture

VJ
~ Figure 9.1 can be used to find the object capture types that your CAD
system supports. Note that type names may be different.
Endpoint of Arc
Arc centred on Centre
of Circle
Midpoint of Arc
InterHctlon ~
Perpendicular
to CIrcle
.... Figure 9.1 Object capture exercise
B.J. Townsend, Computer-aided Draughting Workbook 29

Using object capture, draw the geometric figure on your A4 drawing
sheet. Although the dimensions are not important, you should note the
types of object capture that produce similar results to those shown.
Then complete the title block and save the design using a meaningful
name.
Partial erase
When Task 5.2 was set, this workbook had introduced only a few CAD
commands. Because of this, your final drawing of the robot arm (Figure 5.3)
included some lines that should have been hidden from view. For example,
the arc at the top of the vertical column was one entity and so could not be
partially erased at the place where the large arm obscured it. CAD systems
may solve this problem by using a command that breaks the entity into two
parts.
The effect of using this type of command on the robot arm design of Task
5.2 is shown in Figure 9.2.
A Figure 9.2 Use of partial erase command
S2 Task 9.2 Partial erase

V')
~ • Retrieve your drawing for Task 5.2.

• Set object capture to 'nearest', then call up 'partial erase' before
locking on to the arc to be deleted between the two sides of the arm
on your drawing. (This will probably identify the arc in some way.)
Set object capture to 'intersection', and then pick one of the two
places where the arc intersects with the arm. The arc between those
two points should be erased.
• Repeat the operation with the other part of the arc that is between the
arm sides.
• Now use partial erase on the remaining unwanted lines. When you
have finished, save the complete drawing as a second version of the
robot arm design.
Hatching
Some CAD systems give only a few hatch patterns, others give a wide
choice. On the more advanced systems you can create your own patterns.
Figure 9.3 shows three areas that were hatched with the same pattern but
using different hatch scale values.
Sco.le 1
Sco.le 25
Sco.le 50
~ Figure 9.3 Hatching of areas
30
Hatching on a CAD system can only work correctly if all the boundary
line parts intersect; problems may arise if the boundary line overhangs or has
a break. Some CAD systems allow internal areas to remain unhatched.
Figure 9.4 shows one possible result of this feature.
~ Figure 9.4 Hatching variations
Copying and Inoving

The introductory section of this workbook claimed that CAD saves time.
The hatch feature is a good example of this. The next two features, the
'copying' and the 'moving' of a set of entities to another part of the design
screen, will also promote drawing efficiency.
These two features usually apply to text as well as line drawings. The
repositioning or duplication of text within a drawing is a common
requirement.
The COPY command allows you to repeat a set of selected entities
wherever required in the drawing. (When you are copying to create an array
or circular design, it is better to use a different command; this will be dealt
with later.)
Task 9.3 Copying

• On an A4 drawing sheet, create the entity set in the position shown in
Figure 9.5.
• Using the COPY command, change this entity set into the
geometrical pattern shown in Figure 9.6. The set of entities should
now be identified, either by individual picking or using an enclosing
'window'. (A window feature is very useful and is found on most
CAD systems.)
• Pick a datum point for the pattern to be copied; this may be called a
'handle'. Then enter the location point for the new copy position to
give a duplicate entity set as shown in Figure 9.7. ... Figure 9.5 Set of entities to be copied
••
Additional inform.ation
You may have used a total of nine COPY commands on the entity in Figure
9.5 to give the result shown in Figure 9.6. This number could be reduced by
selecting a larger number of entities at an intermediate point.
In Figure 9.7 the COPY command has been used with a window, shown
as a dotted box, for entity selection. When COPY is called, the 'new' entities
may be rubber-banded - see the dotted lines between the corners of the two
windows.
... Figure 9.6 Using COPY to create a new
design
31
.:
A POINT TO NOTE
The design in Figure 9.6 does not
form an 'array' as defined in CAD
systems.
• •
. . .. . . . . .
.... :::;,
• • •
• • •
....... ;.
•
• e· •
. .......... ::::.
~ Figure 9.7 Using COpy to create a

repeated design
Having used COPY to make a new design, its final position may need to
be changed slightly. This could be achieved by erasing that design and using
COPY again.
Task 9.4 Moving

Another way is to use the MOVE command. You identify the entity set
that is to be moved, indicate the datum point and then indicate the new
drawing position for that datum.
~ •
•
•
• • • ..
• • ~
•
•
•••• • ...........
•
.
~ Figure 9.8 Using MOVE on a set of

entities
Sometimes an entity or set of entities is to be copied to form a rectangular

or circular pattern. Some CAD systems provide an ARRAY command to
create such regular layouts very quickly. For example, suppose that a solid
metal block is to be made lighter by drilling holes in one face. The designer
would draw only one hole, and then use the ARRAY command to create a
regular pattern of such holes.
A spoked wheel could be created from the design of only one spoke plus
USEFUL OBSERVATION its hub and rim details - that design would then be copied by rotating
through 360°. Figure 9.9a shows the construction and centre line details for
Figure 9.8 shows, using dotted lines, the
movement that took place. Again, a one spoke of a twelve-spoke wheel. The spoke sides are produced by
window identifies the relevant entities. offsetting the spoke centre line by an appropriate amount - the angle of the
arc, because there are twelve spokes, is 30°.
32
\\\
d u
... Figure 9.9 A twelve-spoke wheel design
33
On most CAD systems, the offset command for a line can be extended to
complex polygons, and can include arcs, chamfers and so forth. Find out if
the facility exists on your system and use it for this and other designs.
Figure 9.9b shows that the construction lines for the spoke are two arcs
A POINT TO NOTE
and two parallel lines (layers should be used).
You do not need to draw the outside To complete the basic spoke, the fillets are added after splitting the two
of the wheel rim or the hub's
axIelhole at this stage.
arcs into four by removing the portions between the spoke sides. Figure 9.9c
shows the final spoke design.
You can see, from Figure 9. 9c, that a repetition of that design by eleven
consecutive rotations of 30° will give the required twelve spokes. This
rotation, plus the rim and the axle/hole, are shown in Figure 9. 9d.
The command name used will be 'array' or something similar. This design
used a 'polar' or 'circular' array; an array may also be 'rectangular'. The
command structure depends, in both cases, on the CAD system in use.
Cf) ADDITIONAL TASK

~
Cf)
Now create a wheel design based on Figure 9.9d but with a different
~ number of spokes. Note that the number of spokes must divide exactly
into 360°, to avoid precision problems. Use your A4 sheet and
appropriate values for diameter, spoke thickness and fillet radii.
The next activity deals with the rectangular array feature. Figure 9.10 shows
0000000000 an array of seven rows of ten circles. This was produced by drawing the
0000000000 circle in the bottom left corner of the design and then calling the array-
creation command.
0000000000 You will have to identify the entity and then input details of the number of
0000000000 rows and their separation, plus the number of columns and their separation.
0000000000
0000000000 ADDITIONAL TASK
0000000000 Create the design of Figure 9.10 as a means of gaining experience with
the ARRAY command and of preparing for Task 9.5 .
... Figure 9.10 A rectangular array
Task 9.5, the design of a components delivery carousel, should be attempted
only when you are confident about using both the circular and rectangular
array features.
Task 9.5 Using ARRAY and other editing features

consider necessary for the creation of the design shown in Figure
9.11. Set the drawing limits after considering those dimensions that
are given on the design. All the other dimensions are left to your
discretion. (The design process is a very personal one. If you need
guidance, however, you will find a suitable order of creation given
after this task.)
• Create the design shown in Figure 9.11. Remember that the contents
of, say, the construction layer should be used only for the creation of
the design and should not appear on the final design. Before you
place the components boxes on the spokes, save the design with a
name that implies an intermediate design stage; this will be used later.
Then complete the design.
• Using the text layer, complete all the text details that you consider
necessary for the design.
• Save the design, using an appropriate name. It will be used later.
34
000
ocpo
o 0
o 0
VI
Q)
.::t.
E 0
<r
Q.. E
<[ <r:
E C/.J
X 0 E
c 0 0
'-.D
00 0
0 ~
(Y)
t=CI Q)
X 111
00 0 ..p
c 0
:::s X
offi
0
p OJ
c
(\j
.........
d
~
0
.........
0 0
(Y)
0 U
1 Q.. X
E
0 0
<[
U '-.D
.........
• Figure 9.11 Drawing for Task 9.5
35
Model procedure for creating the Task 9.5 design
• Decide on the dimensions and limits you are going to use. Then use your
Centre layer to layout the centre lines for the spokes of the carousel.
Leave enough space for the components box design.
• Use ZOOM to give the screen display shown in Figure 9.12. Use offset,
arc and fillet to create the detail of the two adjacent half-spokes.
/
/
/
\ \
\
/
/
/
/ \
r----------
/ ~ ~
~ Figure 9.12 Spoke construction detail
• Use the correct ARRAY command(s) to create an eight-spoke wheel.

Remember the centres for the components boxes.
• Complete the wheel details.
• Select the area for the components box design and draw the construction
and centre lines on the appropriate layers.
• Use the correct ARRAY command(s) to create the component sockets.
• Create the sectioned view and hatch it correctly.
• Use the COPY command with the completed wheel and components box.
• Use the COPY command to position a components box on one of the
spokes.
• Use the correct ARRAY command(s) to create a components box on
each spoke. (Consider using the ARRAY option that aligns each box
along a radial line.)
• If you know how the ROTATE feature works on your system, use it to re-
align the appropriate boxes to take up the positions shown in Figure 9.11.
• Use the ZOOM and PARTIAL ERASE features of your system to
remove those spoke details that are under the components boxes.
• Add the required text details and save the appropriate view.
36
Blocks
Another feature on some CAD systems is that you can save a set of entities
for use on other designs at a later time. This means that a design, once
created, should never have to be created again.
The usual name for the saved entity set is 'block', and libraries of standard
blocks are in use in many CAD areas. A block can be rotated, positioned and
expanded or reduced at will but you cannot normally edit the contents of a
block - it is saved as a single entity. Using this feature, the components box
in Task 9.5 could have been saved as a block and then re-inserted at the
required angle for each spoke.
/ \
BLOCK I
/ \ \
J
I
,/
Insertion pOint
Insertion o.ngle 123 degrees ,,/
/'
--'
... Figure 10.1 Insertion of components box

block
ADDITIONAL TASK
As an exercise in using blocks, load in the intermediate design that was

saved during Task 9.5. It should consist of the designs for the
components box and the wheel.
Figure 10.1 was created by inserting a block containing the components box
design into a drawing sheet containing the wheel design.
The usual procedure is to call block-creation, identify the insertion point
and indicate the entities that are to be saved in the block.
The insertion point here is the centre of the attachment point of the box to
a spoke; it is also the rotation axis for the box. A window can be used to select
the twelve holes and the rectangle that form the components box design.
Having created the block, the CAD system may delete it from the display
screen. The components box, which now exists as a block, can be placed in
the wheel design, or any other design, by calling the insert-block feature.
In Figure 10.1, the block has been inserted at an arbitrary position and
angle. It could, however, have been placed on one of the spokes at the
correct angle.

Mu l t iple BLOCK insertion Task 10.1 Block insertion
A block-insertion feature may include a rectangular array option that
allows multiple insertions in one operation. This is shown in Figure 10.2.
If there is a multiple block-insertion feature on your CAD system,
complete this exercise by creating the design shown in Figure 10.2.
The stretch feature

Figure 10.3 shows another time-saving feature of CAD systems, which
... Figure 10.2 Multiple block insertion
allows size and shape to be changed without erasing and redrawing. One
name of the feature is 'stretch', but it also allows items to be shortened. Non-
orthogonal changes are possible on some CAD systems.
In Figure 10.3, view 1 shows a suggested layout of a garden and view 4
shows an alternative proposal. Views 2 and 3 show steps in changing view 1
to view 4 using the stretch feature.
A
I I 2
---- ~
I B il[@
L-.l
-- 3
LtB---iD
I ------bL4-_--,
~ Figure 10.3 The shape stretching feature

at work
A POINT TO NOTE
Not all CAD systems offer the same
stretch facilities. Some may exclude
the stretching of circles but allow the
stretching of ellipses, arcs and
complex shapes like those in Figure
10.4. The arrows show the direction
and the amount of stretching.
~ Figure 10.4 More shape stretching
38
Task 10.2 Stretching
As an exercise in using this command, consider part of a house plan that
shows a wall with a door near one end of it. To reposition the door at the
opposite end of the wall, the stretch feature can be used. If your CAD
system supports the feature, create the wall/door design and then use
the feature to change the door's position to the other end of the wall.
As a further exercise, create view 1 of Figure 10.3 and then use
stretch to change it to look like view 4.
Dimensioning
Most CAD systems provide a variety of dimensioning options and allow you
to alter the associated variables.
For example, the arrowhead may have a default size of 3 mm - quite
acceptable on an A4 drawing, but less visible as the drawing sheet limits are
extended. Or a dot or tick/check can replace the arrowhead, to suit users
from other CAD disciplines. Also, the default text size will be too small on
large-scale designs and too large on designs having fine detail. Figure 7.1
shows different text sizes on the same design.
Linear dimensioning can be horizontal, vertical, rotated or aligned with
the measured entity. The horizontal, vertical and aligned dimension features
in CAD are the same as those in traditional draughting.
Some CAD systems will also allow you to change other factors, such as text
position. For example, the text is usually centred in the dimension line, but
on some systems it can be placed above the line. The CAD system may allow
considerable dimensioning customisation - one system allows nearly forty
changes.
Tolerancing is offered by some CAD systems and the user can supply
unequal upper and lower values. Some systems provide an upper and lower
limit value as the dimension.
This workbook cannot deal with all the many dimensioning variations
between CAD systems, and you will need to find out what your own system
provides. Company standards may prohibit any change even if
customisation is possible.
Task 10.3 Dimensioning

You can now try your dimensioning skills on the workbook designs that
you have created. Figure 6.4, for instance, has several dimension types.
Load your saved version and dimension the relevant details. Try
changing text/arrowhead sizes and the tolerance feature if your system
supports it.
Task 10.4 Using dimensioning features

• Enter the CAD system and load the design that you saved on
completion of Task 7.3, the Y-strut.
• Using your CAD system reference manual, set up those
dimensioning features of the CAD system that you consider are
necessary to dimension the Y-strut design fully.
• Save the dimensioned design, giving it an appropriate name - it will
be used later.
39
User facilities
This Assignment deals with some non-drawing features that are available in
a typical CAD system.
For example, if you are trying to find the cost of raw materials for a new
design, you may need to find the area of a complex flat shape. Figure 11.1
shows such a shape.
, - - - - - - - 150.00 - - - - - - ,
[ ~~ ~_____ +-------,
\l105.00
~
1.>-------
.... 170.00 ~
All diMensions in 1"11"1

~ Figure 11.1 Basic shape for area
calculation
The shape can be divided into four right-angled triangles and one
rectangle.You can then use basic area calculations to find the total area (see
Figure 11.2). The value, correct to two decimal places, is 12775.00 mm 2 •
, . - - - - - - - 150.00 - - - - - - .
7u
I\lID5'OO
E
IB
1.>-------
... 170.00 ~
All diMensions in 1"11"1

~ Figure 11.2 Shapes for manual area
calculation
By using a CAD 'area' command, this answer could be obtained just by

picking the shape's boundary. The boundary length, or perimeter, may be
given also - 463.24 mm in this example. You can use aligned linear
dimensioning to check this (see Figure 11.3).
40
~
73.82 73.82
!Ie ~
L
72.80
1
....
..> - -_ _ _ _ _ 170.00 - - -_ _--.1
.. 1
j
All diMensions in MM
~ Figure 11.3 Perimeter check
If the shape contains holes, the area of the holes is subtracted from the
total surface area.
Such CAD features give this type of data without you having to complete
a dimensioning exercise, since it comes from the same data that the CAD
system uses for dimensioning.
Some systems will give you a long list of the drawing entities in the current
design, plus details of the layers in use such as their colours, dimensions and
text size. The system may also give the starting date of the current design
and the actual time spent on it.
Task 11.1 User facilities

As an exercise, find out if your system gives data on area, length and so
on of the parts within a design. One way of doing this is to copy Figure
11.1 and then try to verify the values given earlier. Remember to use the
same precision settings.
With a CAD system, the building-up of a library of standard parts is a natural
consequence of the design process, since the fast retrieval of standard items is
made easy. A clever system for storing and retrieving the data is provided by a
special computer program called a database management system, or DBMS.
Co-ordination and co-operation will be required to set up and use the
DBMS efficiently. Basically, this means creating and using standard name
types for parts, parts number types, symbols and so on. The modification
and/or archiving of designs and the adding or deleting of items from a library
of standard parts or symbols, will be restricted to certain staff; the use of
passwords is the normal way of doing this.
ADDITIONAL TASK
A POINT TO NOTE
Now find out which features are on your system. This may be hard if A particular menu may not be as
the CAD system supports features unused by the company. Several useful to one user as it is to another,
reasons may exist for this, including ignorance of their existence or of because the group of commands for a
their possible benefits. You may have to rely on the system reference certain design activity may be very
manual for guidance. specific. As a designer, you will want
Command menus for related CAD functions and help files for command groups that make your
commands are usually provided by the CAD system; use these to find CAD system most efficient for you.
the answers to this exercise. A command name such as LIST might The more times a menu item is
reselected, the slower the design
produce a parts listing - the LIST help file should say what the command process will be - this is more obvious
does. One CAD system will index all its commands when you input'?', to the experienced CAD user.
and the index can then be searched for likely command names.
41
Some systems allow users to make up their own menus so that often-used
commands can be grouped into one menu or placed into sub-menus. This is
called 'customising' and includes the creation of 'standard' drawings.
Some CAD systems accept that international requirements differ; for
example, different measuring systems and alternative spellings (such as
'centre' and 'center') are used in different countries. On some systems, you
can select a UK-based menu instead of a US-based one, and the differences
may be more than just spelling.
Another benefit to users of customisable systems is being able to create
new commands. Such commands allow users to regularly create similar, but
non-identical, design entities for which a block cannot be used; these may be
called 'macro' or 'parametric' designs.
Some CAD systems use the word 'macro' to describe a parametric design
feature. Other systems reserve the name for a set of CAD commands that
carry out functions such as finding the mass of a body from its area, constant
thickness and density.
CJ) ADDITIONAL TASK

~
CJ)
Find out if your CAD system supports a parametric design or macro
~ feature such as the automatic creation of a 'bubble' with a user
specifying position and text. Another example might be the duplication
of a set of entities from one layer on to another. You may have to use the
system reference manual to find what is available.
Exchanging drawing files

Organisations may need to use drawing files on other CAD systems at the
same location, or even in other organisations, perhaps so that specialised
work can be carried out on the design in various offices. To avoid the likely
introduction of errors, the increase of costs and considerable duplication of
effort, this must be done without having to re-create the drawing files
manually.
To achieve this, all the data in a drawing file must be held in a structured
form and organised in a standard format so that transfers between CAD
systems can take place without compatibility problems occurring.
CAD systems provide a means of exchanging drawing files electronically
using either the Initial Graphics Exchange Standard, or Specification, file
format (known as IGES) or the Drawing Interchange (DXF) file format.
Most CAD systems give users a choice between the two.
USEFUL OBSERVATION
Comparing the size of a drawing file and The DXF format uses the standard ASCII text file format and is easily
its DXF file shows that the DXF file will translated to other formats used by industry. The IGES format was
be about twice as long - this is for an produced to provide CAD/CAM compatibility via a standard interface. The
accuracy of six decimal places for all sending CAD/CAM system uses a translator program called a 'pre-
positional co-ordinates. As an example, processor', and the receiving system then uses another translator program
Figure 10.1 has a drawing file length of called a 'post-processor'.
about 9 KBytes but the DXF version It is usual to transfer the DXF data from the hard disc to a floppy disc, or
length is nearly 19 KBytes. When the magnetic tape, for manual transmission between organisations but it can be
DXF accuracy is increased from six transmitted using a telephone system data link.
decimal places to sixteen, the DXF
versIOn length increases to over 24 In the following task, you will simulate the transfer of drawing data. The
KBytes. procedure is the same for CAD systems that are in different countries as for
those in the same building.
Task 11.2 DXF files

• Enter the CAD system, and load the design that you saved on
completion of Task 10.4.
• Add, in an appropriate position on the design, the text 'Task 11'.
• Use the command 'DXFOUT', or similar, to create a DXF format
version of the design. Use the name 'TASKll'.
42
V} • Copy the file TASKl1.DXF to a floppy disc. (You may need to ask
~ for help to do this as some CAD systems may not support copying
~ files to floppy disc.)
• If a second CAD system is available to you, use it to simulate one
situated at a different location; if not, use your own CAD system.
Copy the file T ASKll.DXF from the floppy disc into the drawing
area of the CAD system.
• Enter the CAD system and start a new drawing with the name
TASKll.
• Use the DXFIN command to load the file T ASKll.DXF. The
drawing with the text 'Task 11' will be created on the screen.
ADDITIONAL TASKS
Create a new drawing that contains only a single straight line, a circle
that is centred on one end of that line and a single word of text, such as
'lollipop'. Now create a DXF version of the screen design on a floppy
disc and exit from the CAD system.
You may need help in the next part of this task which is to obtain a
printout of the contents of the DXF file. The wordprocessing system
should be loaded with the DXF file via the non-document, or
programming, mode.
When you look at the printout, you will see that the file consists of four
sections with the names 'Header', 'Tables', 'Blocks' and 'Entities' and ends
with an End of File (EOF) line. The file is a textual description of a complete
drawing file, including all the text on that file, and data on layers, colours,
dimension precision, linetypes, etc.
An example of an 'empty' (no design data) DXF file printout is given
below and this will allow you to identify where the various types of
information regarding a CAD design are held.
You do not have to remember the details about the way in which the DXF
file is organised, because you can consult the CAD system reference manual
if necessary.
Structure of a DXF file
o (Begin HEADER Section)

SECTION
2
HEADER
(Header variable items go here)
o
ENDSEC (End HEADER Section)
o (Begin TABLES Section)
SECTION
2
TABLES
o
TABLE
2
LINETYPE
70 (a group number - data on maximum table items)
(linetype table items go here)
o
END TAB
o
TABLE
2
LAYER (or STYLE, VIEW, etc.)
70 (a group number)
(layer, etc. table items go here)
o
ENDTAB
o
43
END SEC (End TABLES Section)
A POINT TO NOTE o (Begin BLOCKS Section)
Regardless of the CAD system being SECTION
used, it is not likely that transferring 2
geometrical data will cause compat-
ibility problems. Nevertheless, the
BLOCKS
point made previously in this (block definition entries go here)
workbook about the difference in o
command names will apply when ENDSEC (End BLOCKS Section)
DXF files are used to transfer designs o (Begin ENTITIES Section)
between different CAD systems. SECTION
Compatibility problems may also 2
arise because CAD system software ENTITIES
may be structured differently. (drawing entities go here)
o
END SEC (End ENTITIES Section)
o
EOF (End of File)
44
File management
This Assignment deals with the need to create and maintain
records of drawing files and POINTS TO NOTE
a back-up system for those files. Although computer electronics are
very reliable, problems can arise with
Early IT enthusiasts often claimed that computers would create the items such as hard discs, keyboards
paperless office but a computer can easily generate such large quantities of and disc drives, which have moving
paper-based data that this may become a problem. parts. With an unprotected power
In the drawing office, efficient use of CAD systems can reduce the amount supply, a circuit can fail should a
of such data but it would be foolish to rely entirely on the computer system local voltage surge occur during a
thunderstorm.
for all record-keeping.
A company must have a paper-based recording system for CAD The backing-up of drawing files on a
drawings. There are advantages in using an extended version of a pre-CAD regular basis is absolutely essential,
system. For example, pre-CAD staff are already familiar with it, and it will but there is no point in backing-up
contain much of the information that the organisation needs; moreover, non- regularly if the back-up media - tapes
or discs - are not correctly identified
CAD staff may use it and it can be introduced quickly and easily.
and filed securely. This topic is dealt
A DBMS can print extensive data when a new design is completed. Such with more fully in the accompanying
data can be used to expand the contents of manually kept files when core book.
required.
Task 12.1 File management

Note for supervisor The trainees should each be given three floppy
discs, with blank labels. Each disc is part of a 'grandfather, father, son'
set and contains a drawing file representing one of three different stages
in the creation of an incomplete CAD drawing. They should also be
given a paper-based design which contains all the data required to
complete the CAD version of the drawing.
There should be no textual information on the disc files, such as date,
issue or modification number, to indicate the order in which they were
created.
The trainees should be told that the completed design that was on the
hard disc has been lost and needs to be re-created using the three discs
and the paper-based design.
• Using your knowledge of the 'grandfather, father, son' system of
back-up files, put the three discs into order.
• Number the discs to indicate the correct order of use.
• Using the information on the paper-based design and the appropriate
disc data, complete the CAD design.
• Back-up the complete design on the appropriate disc.
• Complete a label for each disc.
• Compile a suitable written record of the design data and the disc
details and give all your work to the supervisor.

Basic peripheral devices
This Assignment deals with the types of peripheral, or input and output,
devices that are found on most CAD systems. When CAD is used for very
specific applications, special input or output devices may be used but these
are not dealt with here.
No peripheral device can be used by itself - it must be connected to a
processing unit, sometimes called a computing unit. The notes at the end of
Task 14.2 give more details.
The processing unit works with a keyboard, for input, and a display, or
graphics, monitor for output. In addition, as you will know by now, using
CAD efficiently requires a digitiser for input and a unit for producing a hard
copy output or drawing.
USEFUL OBSERVATION Digitisers

If the drawing is larger than the tablet, it Probably the most common CAD input device is a mouse but light pens,
is digitised in sections. joysticks and graphics tablets can be used in a similar way to a mouse.
A graphics tablet, with either a puck or a stylus, is particularly useful when
used as a digitiser, as this allows existing paper-based designs to be
transferred to a CAD system. This is because the puck's crosshairs, or the
point of the stylus, can be placed accurately at a given point, such as the
intersection of two lines or the centre of a circle.
The drawing is attached to the tablet, usually by taping, and the entity type
(line, circle, etc.) input so that the system can store the data correctly.
A POINT TO NOTE When the puck or stylus is correctly positioned, the pick button is pressed
The order of data input and the
to transmit position data from the paper to the system. Finally, the end of the
screen prompts during digitising will line or a point on the circle is picked to complete the input for that entity.
vary with the CAD system used. The companion core book of this series deals with input devices in greater
detail.
Plotters
The majority of CAD users, whether in commerce or training organisations,
will use an incremental, or X-Y, pen plotter for hard copy output. The
alternative dot-matrix printer also gives good-quality text, but the graphics
quality of a plotter is much better and plots can be on larger sheets.
The maximum size of sheet on standard dot-matrix printers is about
330 mm. Sheet sizes on standard fiat-bed incremental plotters range from
A4 up to AO, but a drum plotter, using a roll of paper rather than cut sheets,
can produce larger drawings. Some drum plotters can also accept cut sheets.
As mentioned in Assignment 3, the CAD system needs to know about the
output unit that is being used so that the special driver software of the CAD
system can send the printing/plotting output instructions correctly. The
more advanced CAD systems will provide a comprehensive menu of
printer/plotter models to choose from.
Because of the high cost of large good-quality plotters, and because the time
taken to create a design far exceeds tlle time taken to output that design, it is
normal practice for a plotter to be shared among several CAD designers. If
the CAD systems are stand-alone, a switch box is used to select which
system is connected to the plotter at a particular time. On a networked
system, special software takes care of this problem.
More details about the relative merits of printers and plotters are given in
the companion core book of this series.
46
Task 13.1 Plotting parameters
When a drawing is to be printed or plotted, it is usual for the CAD
system screen to show a series of default parameters that can be altered
before output starts. These will include sheet size, pen width (for
plotters), pen colours, orientation, hidden line removal, drawing scale,
design area to be plotted and so on.
Using the 'print screen' facility of your computer, obtain a printout of
the variable plotting parameters of your CAD system. Find out, using
the reference manual if necessary, the default values of the parameters
and whether these agree with those given on the screen. If they are
different, you should find out if they have been changed to suit
company policy on plotted output before making any changes for your
own plotting tasks.
Com.paring costs
Because of the variation in hard copy production methods, there will be
variation in hard copy costs. As well as paper size and quality variations, the
cost of other consumable items will depend on the type of hard copy unit.
On dot-matrix printers, the life of printer ribbons will be reduced when
dense hatching or thick lines are plotted. On plotters, the pen quality and
cost vary widely: some plotters use ball-point pens, some use fibre-tip pens,
and plotters at the top of the quality range use ceramic-tipped pens. Some
automatic colour selection plotters use pens with coded barrels.
The special high-gloss plotting paper is expensive but is justified for
quality plotting. On electrostatic and ink-jet plotters, special paper or film is
normally used.
Task 13.2 Plotting designs

Note for supervisors Any of the drawings that have been produced by
the trainee and that satisfy local training requirements can be used for
this task. Only one plotting task is detailed but it should be repeated for
each of the following requirements:
a scale of 1 to 1
a scale of 1 to 2
rotated by 90°
two at a scale of 1 to 2, side by side.
It is assumed that an A3 colour plotter is available.
• Load the drawing to be plotted from the floppy disc into the CAD
system.
• Examine the drawing and note what colours are used in the layers
that are to be plotted.
• Load the plotter with pens of the correct colour.
• Load the plotter with the correct size of paper.
• Set the plotting parameters such as origin, paper size, pen size, plot
orientation, plot scale and so on.
• Produce a plot of the drawing. If the plot is incorrect in any way,
repeat the necessary steps until a satisfactory plot is obtained.
• Make a note of any procedural item that would be of value when
making future plots.
47
System performance and
evaluation
This Assignment deals with the need to have a CAD system that performs at
maximum efficiency at all times.
It is unlikely that you will be using CAD on a computer system that does
not have a hard disc; this is because of the very large amount of fast-access
memory that commercial CAD systems need.
Various methods, using special software, exist for efficient hard disc
management but a treatment of these is beyond the scope of this workbook.
Your hard disc will perform better when all non-current design files have
been removed. Archive them first, of course! Removing such files may not be
the only way to improve disc performance, however - other factors are
involved.
You may have enough computing ability to feel confident about working
in the computer's operating system. You can then try to improve its
performance by changing the directory structure or removing partially
deleted files. If you are not sure, leave this type of work to someone who has
more than an elementary computing knowledge.
USEFUL OBSERVATION If the CAD system is installed by the CAD supplier, you should find that it
The best results will be obtained when is set up to work efficiently. But computer system retailers cannot be experts
the CAD requirements are clearly on every computer applications package and, because of this, CAD packages
identified by the intending user, perhaps may only be available through certain authorised suppliers.
after talking to CAD users in similar If the computer and CAD software were not bought at the same time, you
work areas. Always try to involve may find that the CAD system does not work very fast. In such cases, there
someone who has knowledge of using
may be a limit to what can be done to increase speed.
CAD in your type of work and who will
give an unbiassed opinion. There may be A speeding-up may be obtained if an additional co-processor circuit is
someone at your local college who will do fitted to carry out the large amount of calculation required for activities such
this. as hatching, zooming or hiding. Fitting such a circuit may not improve the
speed of a basic CAD system but some systems will not work without one.
The cheapest CAD system to meet existing needs may be unable to satisfy
new requirements that are identified after a few months operation. Ensure
that the CAD system and the computer system can be upgraded - do not
buy 'end-of-line' bargains that cannot be serviced or supported when
problems occur.
Unless there is an electronics maintenance facility in the organisation,
make certain that an on-site service agreement is included in the computer
purchase price. There is no value in increasing productivity if you then have
to wait for weeks to have the computer repaired.
Finally, when the CAD system is installed, there will have to be a period of
time for staff training and familiarisation - as described earlier, system
performance is also linked to the customisation of the CAD system. This
cannot take place until the users have had several weeks, or even months, of
experience with it.
Task 14.1 System capacity

Either by using the system manuals or by asking your supervisor, find
out what hard disc capacity, RAM capacity, processor speed and floppy
disc capacity your system has.
48
Task 14.2 System performance and evaluation
Note to supervisors This task must be based on the hardware and
software that is available to the trainee. Because these items will vary
widely, a specific set of tasks is not provided.
A scenario of a possible CAD situation is given and, to guide trainees
in the completion of the task, a framework on which to formulate
answers is provided.
Read the following scenario of an imaginary CAD situation.

A 2D CAD system with wire-frame facilities is being used on a
computer of the PC type fined with a 4MHz processor but no maths co-
processor.
The CAD software will run with or without a maths co-processor,
and visual output is to a ten-inch monochrome screen monitor. The
software cannot be configured to work with a digitiser and so all position
input is via the cursor, or arrow, keys on the keyboard. The design data
is stored on floppy disc using a 51f4 -inch floppy disc drive.
A 20MB hard disc is fined but is used only for the CAD system
software and a wordprocessor package. A nine-pin dot-matrix printer is
used mainly for printing wordprocessor documents but it is also used
for printing A4-size drawings as CAD output.
The company produces specialised machines for folding and gluing
cardboard containers of various sizes used, for example, by mail-order
companies. The CAD system is used for the design of the many
different sizes of glue nozzle that are used to meet the varying delivery
requirements for glue. It was installed and configured some years ago by
the company's draughtsman, who is due to retire shortly.
The CAD system is now being used, on a shared basis, by the
draughtswoman who will take over from the draughtsman when he
retires. As well as being computer-literate, she has followed, and
qualified on, a one-year college course in the use of a commercial CAD
system for engineering design.
She has spoken to the draughts man about what she considers to be
the limitations of the CAD system and its computer, and has suggested
improvements that would, she is certain, improve design efficiency.
She admits that, even after using the system for six months, she
cannot produce nozzle designs in the same time as the draughtsman
even though, like her, he designs each new nozzle requirement from
scratch.
She is convinced that in the nozzle drawing files that he has created
over the previous twenty-five years there must be numerous examples
of actual, or near, duplication of designs.
You are asked to draw up a proposal that will overcome the reservations
given in the scenario concerning the overall usage efficiency of the CAD
system. The proposal should not be restricted to a consideration of the
CAD hardware and software.
The following comments should be used in drawing up the proposal:
1 A maths co-processor, when fined, may affect the speed of features

like zooming, hatching and regeneration.
2 Colour monitors are required if layers are to be used. Some CAD
designs do not need layers and monochrome displays are widely used
for wordprocessing.
3 Wordprocessing software normally uses the cursor (arrow) keys to
select different parts of the document, but there are advantages in
using a mouse for cursor control. It may be difficult to make a good
case for using a digitising tablet for wordprocessing. Consider the
possibility of a similar sort of argument for the CAD situation.
4 Although floppy discs are widely used for back-up purposes, their
use during the design process may cause problems including a long
access time when compared with a hard disc. A hard disc is almost
certain to be used for the CAD software and you should consider
whether there is a case for using it to hold current designs.
49
5 A 9-pin dot-matrix printer cannot compete with the 24-pin version
for textual and graphics output quality. You may also consider that
an A4 monochrome laser printer is justified.
6 In the scenario, the many nozzle designs differ only in dimensions
and not in purpose or shape. Perhaps a case could be argued for a
parametric design feature.
7 You might argue for a design database but any creation proposal
should consider the merits or otherwise of a database for new designs
only or one which includes existing designs.
50
Glossary
Bus A term used to indicate that a peripheral device is connected to the

computer using, usually, eight separate wires. This means that eight separate
electrical signals can be conveyed at the same time, or in parallel. See also
'serial' .
Co-processor (maths) An integrated circuit that deals with the many

calculations that are required in a CAD system in order to increase the
operating speed of the computer system.
Digitiser A peripheral device that is used in a CAD system to input

information about the screen position of the pointing symbol.
Display The main computer output device that is similar to a television set.
Floppy disc A thin circular piece of plastic that can be magnetised to hold
computer information. The original versions were housed in square flexible
plastic sleeves and were available in two sizes. The current version is smaller,
holds more information and is housed in a stiff plastic sleeve.
Graphics monitor A computer display unit with the high screen

resolution necessary for the fine detail required on some CAD systems.
Hard disc parking To prevent corruption of the information stored on

the hard disc when the system was switched off, early versions required the
read/write heads to be placed in a special position, or 'parked', on the disc
surface.
KByte (KB) A byte is a computer-based mea-suring unit that corresponds

to one alphabetic character, and 1 KByte is about 1000 of these units. The
capital, or upper case, 'K' is used because the exact value is 1024 rather than
1000 for which the small, or lower case, 'k' should be used.
Magnetic tape A computer storage medium used mainly for back-up or

archival purposes. It may be on a large reel or on smaller units similar to
audio cassettes. Access to the stored information is much slower than when
using floppy or hard discs.
MByte (MB) This is approximately 1 million bytes - 1024 KBytes, to be

exact.
MHz An electrical frequency measuring unit meaning 1 million

oscillations per second. In computer systems, it is used as a measure of the
operating speed of the integrated circuits.
Monitor An alternative term for a computer display unit.
Mouse A computer input device that allows rapid positioning of the

screen pointing symbol.
Networked system An arrangement of interconnected computer systems

that allows the sharing of expensive peripheral devices such as plotters and
fast-access, high-capacity storage units.
Parameter A limit or finite value defining or controlling the operational

range of a CAD system function.
51
Processor The main integrated circuit of a computer system. The term
'processor unit' is usually used to mean the complete arrangement of
integrated circuits, power supply, interconnections, etc.
Puck This is used in a similar way to a mouse but in conjunction with a

special input device called a digitising tablet.
RAM A term used to describe the main, very-fast-access storage unit of a

computer system. Unlike other computer storage methods in use, the stored
information is lost when the power supply is removed.
Serial A term used to describe the connection method of some peripheral

devices. The electrical signals are conveyed one after the other and this is a
much slower method than the alternative 'bus' or parallel system.
Software The set of computer operating programs for a particular

application such as CAD.
52
Index
A3drawing sheet 10 files
A4 drawing sheet 8, 10-11 exchange 42
absolute co-ordinates 16 management 45
arcs 8, 12-13 filleting 25-7
archiving designs 41, 48 fonts 10
area calculation 40-1 freehand drawings 14
ARRAY command 32, 34-6 freezing layers 21
ASCII format 42
axes 5 'grandfather, father, son' discs 45
graphics tablet 46
backing up 45 grid 5,8, 10
basic system checklist 3 rotation 14
blocks 37-8
handle 31
CAD systems hard disc
arrangements 3 management 48
closing down 4 parking 4
customisation 42, 48 hatching 30-1
inspection 4
monitoring performance 5,48-50 IGES file format 42
setting up 5 incremental plotter 46
stand-alone 3 input-output devices 46-7
starting up 4
CAD/CAM 42 joystick 46
chamfering 25-7
circles 12-13 keyboard 46
circular arrays 34
configuration 7 layers 5, 21-4
construction aids 8 default 10
CONTINUE command 13 library 37, 41
co-ordinates 15-17 light pen 46
co-processor 48, 49 LINE command 8, 13
copying 8, 31-2 LIST command 41
costs 47
cursor symbol 9 macro designs 42
customisation mass calculation 42
CAD system 48 maths co-processor 48, 49
menus 42 menus 3-4
customised 42
database management system (DBMS) 41-2, 45 monitors 7
digitisers 46 mouse 3,7,8
digitising tablet 3 moving 8,31,32
dimensioning 39 MULTI-LINE command 8,9
disc parking 4
dot-matrix printer 46, 49, 50 negative co-ordinates 16
dragging 14 networks 3
draughting parameters 5-6 non-paper screen 5
drawing aids 5, 14-24
drawing commands 8 object capture 29-30
drawing sheets 8, 10-11 offset 32, 34
DXF files 42-4 operating procedures 3-4
dynamic zoom 19 origin of co-ordinate system 15, 16
orthogonal axes 10, 14
Enter key 8, 9
erasing 8,9 pan 19
partial 30 paper screen 5
exchanging drawing files 42 parametric designs 42
53
partial erase 30 rotation angle 15
passwords 3, 4, 41 rubber-banding 14
PC 3 ruled axes 14, 17
perimeter calculation 40-1
peripheral devices 46-7 saving designs 4
personal computer 3 software configuration 7
pick button 9 stand-alone CAD system 3
plotters 3, 46, 47 standard drawing sheet checklist 5, 6
plotting parameters 47 standard drawings 5, 6, 8, 10, 42
point capture 5, 8, 9, 10, 14 status line 16
point location 14 stretch 38-9
pointing crosshairs 15 stylus 46
polar arrays 34 system performance and evaluation 48-50
polar co-ordinates 16
polygons 8, 34 text 8, 10, 13
POLY-LINE command 8 title block 5, 13
post-processor 42 tolerancing 39
pre-processor 42
printers 4, 46, 47 'unerase' 9
prototype drawings 5 user facilities 40-4
puck 7,8
window 19,31
RAM capacity 48 wire-frame drawing 49
records 45 wordprocessor 3
rectangular arrays 34
relative co-ordinates 16 X-Y plotter 46
restore 9
Return key see Enter key zooming 19-20
rotate 36
54

Brian J. Townsend (Auth.), Peter Riley (Eds.) - Computer-Aided Draughting Workbook-Macmillan Education UK (1993)

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Computer-aided

City and Guilds of London Institute has a long history of providing

Carolyn Andrew and others, Business Administration Level I and Business

Consultant Editor: Peter Riley

All rights reserved. No reproduction, copy or transmission

No paragraph of this publication may be reproduced, copied

Any person who does any unauthorised act in relation to this

First published 1993 by

ISBN 978-0-333-56504-9 ISBN 978-1-349-12681-1 (eBook)

A catalogue record for this book is

How to use this book 2

Learning AssignDlent 1 Operating procedures 3

Learning AssignDlent 2 Draughting parameters 5

Learning AssignDlent 3 Software configuration 7

Learning AssignDlent 4 Creating standard drawing sheets 8

Learning AssignDlent 5 Using arcs, circles and lines 12

Learning AssignDlent 6 Using CAD drawing aids 14

Learning AssignDlent 7 More CAD drawing aids 19

Learning AssignDlent 8 Fillets and chaDlfers 25

Learning AssignDlent 9 Array and other editing features 29

Learning Assignment 10 Blocks 37

Learning Assignment 11 User facilities 40

Learning Assignment 12 File management 45

Learning Assignment 13 Basic peripheral devices 46

Learning Assignment 14 System performance and

The availability of sophisticated, low-cost computer-aided draughting, or

City and Guilds/Macmillan publishing for

This workbook is one of a series of City and Guilds/Macmillan books which

B.J. Townsend, Computer-aided Draughting Workbook

B.J. Townsend, Computer-aided Draughting Workbook

.... Figure 1.2 A typical stand-alone CAD

Figure 1.2 shows that the equipment

l. Park the Hard Disc

Please enter the menu number and press ENTER

In the event of a system problem, please

Task 2.1 Draughting parameters

• Establish the parameters of a standard blank drawing sheet, using the

B.J. Townsend, Computer-aided Draughting Workbook

Subjective assessment of reasonls for choice of features

Task 3.1 Software configuration

B.J. Townsend, Computer-aided Draughting Workbook

S2 Task 4.1 Starting a design

~ To obtain practice in using these simple commands, you are asked to

~ Figure 4.1 A simple drawing task

Task 4.2 Editing a design USEFUL OBSERVATION

:Q Task 4.4 Creating standard drawing sheets

Sto.rt, Centre, End

Sto.rt, End, Angle Sto.rt, End, Direction 0 3

Two TQngents, RQcllus (151'11'1)

Centre, DIQl'leter (501'11'1) Three Point

~ Figure 5.2 Creating circles

Task 5.2 Using arcs, circles and lines

.... Figure 5.3 Using arcs, circles and lines

Task 6.1 Basic drawing aids

~ Figure 6.1 Drawing aid exercise

<l1li Figure 6.3 Using Rotate and Orthogonal

c All oIlMenslons In MM.

~ Figure 6.4 Use of point co-ordinates

CO-ORDINATE VALUES FOR FIGURE 6.4

Co-ordinate Point A PointB Point C

Absolute 50.00,50.00 210.00,50.00 50.00,170.00

Task 7.1 Use of ZOOM features

The regeneration of a zoomed display can take a comparatively long time.